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An aviation fuel truck.

At some airports, underground fuel pipes allow refuelling without
the need for tank trucks. Trucks just carry the necessary hoses and
pressure apparatus, but no fuel.

Aviation fuel is a specialized type of petroleum-based fuel used
to power aircraft. It is
generally of a higher quality than fuels used in less critical
applications such as heating or road transport, and often contains
additives to reduce the risk of icing or explosion due to high
temperatures, amongst other properties.

Most aviation fuels available for aircraft are kinds of petroleum spirit used in engines with spark
plugs i.e. piston engines and Wankel rotaries or
fuel for jet turbine engines which is also used in diesel aircraft
engines. Alcohol, alcohol mixtures and other alternative fuels may
be used experimentally but are not generally available.

Avgas is sold in much lower
volumes, but to many more individual aircraft, whereas Jet fuel is sold in high
volumes to large aircraft operated typically by airlines, military
and large corporate aircraft.

In use

Aviation fuel is often dispensed from a tanker or bowser which is driven up to parked aeroplanes and helicopters. Some airports have pumps
similar to filling stations that aircraft must
taxi up to. Some airports also have permanent piping to parking
areas for large aircraft.

Regardless of the method, aviation fuel is transferred to an
aircraft via one of two methods: overwing and
underwing. Overwing fuelling is used on smaller planes,
helicopters, and all piston-engine aircraft. Overwing fuelling is
similar to car
fuelling — one or more fuel ports are opened and fuel is
pumped in with a conventional pump. Underwing fuelling, also called
single-point, is used on larger aircraft and for jet fuel
exclusively. For single-point fuelling, a high-pressure hose is
attached and fuel is pumped in at 40 PSI and
a max of 45 PSI.
Anything higher needs to be stopped for it can cause damage to the
wings. Since there is only one attachment point, fuel distribution
between tanks is either automated or it is controlled from a
control panel at the fuelling point or in the cockpit. As well, a
dead man's
switch is used to control fuel flow.

Because of the danger of confusing the fuel types, a number of
precautions are taken to distinguish between AvGas and Jet Fuel
beyond clearly marking all containers, vehicles, and piping. AvGas
is treated with either a red, green, or blue dye, and is dispensed
from nozzles with a diameter of 40 millimetres (49
millimetres in the USA). The aperture on fuel tanks of
piston-engined aircraft cannot be greater than 60 millimetres in
diameter. Jet Fuel is clear to straw in colour, and is dispensed
from a special nozzle called a "J spout" that has a rectangular
opening larger than 60 millimetres in diameter so as not to fit
into AvGas ports. However, some jet and turbine aircraft, such as
some models of the Astar helicopter, have a fuelling port too small
for the J spout and thus require a smaller nozzle to be installed
in order to be refuelled efficiently.

Safety
precautions

Any fuelling operation can be very dangerous, and aviation
fuelling has a number of unique characteristics which must be
accommodated. As an aircraft flies through the air, it can
accumulate a charge of static electricity. If this is not
dissipated before fuelling, an electric arc can occur which may
ignite fuel vapours. To prevent this, aircraft are electrically
bonded to the fuelling apparatus before fuelling begins, and are
not disconnected until fuelling is complete. Some regions require
that the aircraft and/or fuel truck be grounded as well.

Aviation fuel can cause severe environmental damage, and all
fuelling vehicles must carry equipment to control fuel spills. In
addition, fire extinguishers must be present at
any fuelling operation, and airport firefighting forces are
specially trained and equipped to handle aviation fuel fires and
spills. Aviation fuel must be checked daily and before every flight
for contaminants such as water
or dirt.

Many airlines now require that safety belts be left unfastened
should passengers be aboard when refuelling happens.'

Aviation fuel is a specialized type of petroleum-based fuel used to power aircraft. It is generally of a higher quality than fuels used in less critical applications such as heating or road transport, and often contains additives to reduce the risk of icing or explosion due to high temperatures, amongst other properties.

Most aviation fuels available for aircraft are kinds of petroleum spirit used in engines with spark plugs i.e. piston engines and Wankel rotaries or fuel for jet turbine engines which is also used in diesel aircraft engines. Alcohol, alcohol mixtures and other alternative fuels may be used experimentally but are not generally available.

Avgas is sold in much lower volumes, but to many more individual aircraft, whereas Jet fuel is sold in high volumes to large aircraft operated typically by airlines, military and large corporate aircraft.

In use

[[File:|thumb|Aviation fuel storage tanks]]
Aviation fuel is often dispensed from a tanker or bowser which is driven up to parked aeroplanes and helicopters. Some airports have pumps similar to filling stations that aircraft must taxi up to. Some airports also have permanent piping to parking areas for large aircraft.

Regardless of the method, aviation fuel is transferred to an aircraft via one of two methods: overwing and underwing. Overwing fuelling is used on smaller planes, helicopters, and all piston-engine aircraft. Overwing fuelling is similar to car fuelling — one or more fuel ports are opened and fuel is pumped in with a conventional pump. Underwing fuelling, also called single-point, is used on larger aircraft and for jet fuel exclusively. For single-point fuelling, a high-pressure hose is attached and fuel is pumped in at 40 PSI and a max of 45 PSI. Anything higher needs to be stopped for it can cause damage to the wings. Since there is only one attachment point, fuel distribution between tanks is either automated or it is controlled from a control panel at the fuelling point or in the cockpit. As well, a dead man's switch is used to control fuel flow.

Because of the danger of confusing the fuel types, a number of precautions are taken to distinguish between AvGas and Jet Fuel beyond clearly marking all containers, vehicles, and piping. AvGas is treated with either a red, green, or blue dye, and is dispensed from nozzles with a diameter of 40 millimetres (49 millimetres in the USA). The aperture on fuel tanks of piston-engined aircraft cannot be greater than 60 millimetres in diameter. Jet Fuel is clear to straw in colour, and is dispensed from a special nozzle called a "J spout" that has a rectangular opening larger than 60 millimetres in diameter so as not to fit into AvGas ports. However, some jet and turbine aircraft, such as some models of the Astar helicopter, have a fuelling port too small for the J spout and thus require a smaller nozzle to be installed in order to be refuelled efficiently.

Safety precautions

Any fuelling operation can be very dangerous, and aviation fuelling has a number of unique characteristics which must be accommodated. As an aircraft flies through the air, it can accumulate a charge of static electricity. If this is not dissipated before fuelling, an electric arc can occur which may ignite fuel vapours. To prevent this, aircraft are electrically bonded to the fuelling apparatus before fuelling begins, and are not disconnected until fuelling is complete. Some regions require that the aircraft and/or fuel truck be grounded as well.[2]

Aviation fuel can cause severe environmental damage, and all fuelling vehicles must carry equipment to control fuel spills. In addition, fire extinguishers must be present at any fuelling operation, and airport firefighting forces are specially trained and equipped to handle aviation fuel fires and spills. Aviation fuel must be checked daily and before every flight for contaminants such as water or dirt.

Many airlines now require that safety belts be left unfastened should passengers be aboard when refuelling happens.[citation needed]'